Symbiosis
by Jellyneau
Summary: The TARDIS is behaving erratically, the Doctor is frighteningly not himself, and Rose is caught in the middle. Not sure what to expect from the Doctor or the TARDIS any longer, Rose has to take matters into her own hands to make sure they all get out of this in one piece. AU - Plot, suspense, and lemons.
1. Chapter 1

"Blimey, Doctor, what was in that last cocktail?" Rose giggled as she slammed the TARDIS door behind her after following the Doctor inside. "I honestly feel... holy cow. I feel..." Rose stopped to consider exactly how she felt, but got distracted by a spot on the side of one of the coral struts. Finally realizing she'd been staring at it for a few moments she fell into a fit of giggles. The Doctor, having observed her adorable ramblings, smiled in response and found himself chuckling as well for some unknown reason. Seeing Rose so carefree and cheerful always made him smile, but tonight, he found himself almost basking in her happy glow.

Still giggling, Rose strolled up and leaned on him, bending over in mirth. The Doctor steadied her as she shakily tried to right herself, standing upright with a final little snort of laughter.

"I do believe my companion is a bit tipsy," the Doctor smiled, his arm around her shoulder. "And I do believe I might be a bit tipsy myself, come to think of it. The cocktails you're referring to are called 'Yullowfurblongs'. Say that a few times fast!" he snorted, chucking again. Rose clearly thought the name was hilarious, as her reaction was a delightful peel of laughter. His hearts clenched happily at her reaction. He loved her. No! It! He loved _it_... when she laughed. Hastily making himself move on from that complete and understandable error given his present slightly inebriated state of mind, he pushed on with his explanation. "They were made from the Yullow flower which has the effect of heightening one's mood and inhibiting the ability to concentrate and focus. A bit similar to alcohol on earth. Well, not really though, seeing as alcohol on earth is a depressant. And Yullow alcohol is twice as potent, it distorts reality for only a couple of hours, and it has little or no after effects. Rather brilliant, that. But then again, I'm rather brilliant for having remembered that after I've managed to drink a fair bit of it myself." The Doctor smiled at that. He looked down at Rose and found her gazing up at him, her laughter having died off, her eyes glazed over a bit but decidedly focused on his mouth.

"You have amazing lips, Doctor. Did you know that?" Rose whispered, slurring her words slightly. Rose's gaze slid slowly from his lips up to meet his eyes.

The Doctor's reaction to Rose's release of pheromones was instant. Desire pooled in his groin and he felt an incredible urge to ... to...

Realizing his body's traitorous intentions, he made himself release her shoulder and take a small step back. Rassilon - he was finding it so difficult to keep his mind smut-free lately.

"Oh. Yes. Well. I should also have mentioned that Yullow alcohol can also act as a slight aphrodisiac. How did I manage to forget that bit?" he added, truly surprised at this clear oversight. He was always acutely aware of substances and their effects on human anatomy, as he'd had experienced his fair share of misunderstandings over his many years travelling with them. And while he more than wished that he could allow himself to slip and give in to the ever increasing temptation that was Rose Tyler, he knew he mustn't. Time Lords had rules about this sort of thing. Of course, he knew that excuse was a load of bullocks. Since when had Time Lord rules really stopped him from doing what he wanted? And right now, Rose Tyler was what he wanted. He allowed himself a moment of shameless oogling. Rose looked particularly scrumptious this evening, wearing a miniskirt and a summery top that showed off her midriff. He imagined sliding his hand up and under that little shirt to cup her tantalizing breasts, her taught nipples pebbling under her lacey bra...

Suddenly aware that his thoughts had strayed to places best left pondered in the privacy of his own room, the Doctor shook his head a bit in an effort to clear his head. There was no escaping it. Tonight had already dissolved into another evening of non-stop ever increasingly inappropriate thoughts about his companion. He'd always been... well, _distracted_ by Rose, but never to a point that he wasn't able to hide it. In the last week, however, he'd been finding it more and more difficult to disguise the evidence of his 'interest' in her. The TARDIS hadn't been helping, either. It seemed at every opportunity they were bumping into each other in the hallways. His room used to be a good twelve metres further up the corridor from hers, but he'd noticed over the last week their bedroom doors were getting closer and closer, until finally hers was directly across the hall from his last night. Temptation beckoned him every night from just the other side of a thin scrap of coral. The concept of self-restraint was wearing more and more thin.

"Rose Tyler, I do believe it's time we get you to bed," he suggested, trying to remain level headed and appear logical. Rose's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Oh! No! No... I mean, we should get you to your bed so you can go to sleep. By yourself. In your room. I mean, humans need a good eight hours of beauty sleep, right? Not that _you_ need beauty sleep, because you don't. Need to be more beautiful, I mean. Because you're already beautiful. Gorgeous, really. Probably as beautiful as humans come, to be honest. Not that I've been keeping track, mind. Because I haven't. Oh, blimey..." the Doctor finally petered off, running his hand through his hair as his mouth ran out of steam. Glancing down to look at the hazel eyes he'd been avoiding, he found them staring up at him, twinkling in delight at his discomfort.

"Why, Doctor, if I didn't know better, I might think I've rendered you speechless," Rose grinned, then patted him playfully on the bum before scooting off down the hall, giggling.

"Oh, Rose. If you only knew the half of it," the Doctor sighed to himself, unable to resist following her down the hallway, watching her gorgeous bottom sway seductively under her short skirt as she moved down the corridor.

Finally reaching her bedroom door, Rose turned and gave him a sinful grin. "Night, Doctor," Rose said silkily, leaning alluringly against her door frame. "Sweet dreams." She licked her bottom lip, her gaze once again focused on his lips. Rassilon.

"Good night, Rose," the Doctor heard himself squeak in response before he hurriedly turned away to escape into his own room. Trying not to appear as affected by her as he was, he made sure to give her a little wave before he disappeared from sight.

With his door firmly closed behind him, he leaned against it and blew out a sigh of relief. Now _that_ had been a bad idea. What the hell had he been thinking? An aphrodisiac, for heaven's sake! He'd been finding it difficult to maintain focus on anything except Rose lately, but after seeing her so needy and smelling her attraction to him, well... the evidence of his inability to control his biological reactions was currently uncomfortably pressing against the fabric of his pants.

Once again finding himself shaking his head in an effort to clear it, the Doctor slumped off to the loo for a cold shower. He'd heard humans used them to help repress sexual urges. He'd never tried it himself, but now seemed like the perfect time to give it a go.

The shower did indeed distract him and he was pleased to find his... enthusiasm had quieted a bit. Maybe he'd take a quick kip. Rose was sleeping now for her obligatory eight hours and he hadn't slept in a few days. He could do with a few hours.

Dropping his towel onto the floor before pulling the sheets back on his bed, he climbed between them and laid back, his head cushioned by his oversized pillow. Ahhh. _This_ is what he needed. Just a quick rest to set his body back to factory settings. Then back to their regular routine tomorrow, if their routine could in any way be called 'regular'. Maybe he'd take Rose to Taldon 7 in the morning. Best shopping this side of the Universe. She'd like that. Hopefully they could go back to their usual hand holding without feeling uncomfortable around each other after tonight. Holding Rose's hand was relatively safe, he reasoned. After all, they'd been doing it for a couple of years now and he hadn't jumped her and snogged her senseless yet. Yet.

No. NO. Think of cold showers. Dead puppies. Yuck. Okay... that was good. Well... not good. Definitely NOT thinking about Rose's plump, luscious lips. Or her inviting curves. Or his hands roaming over them restlessly, ceaselessly. NO! The Doctor growled in frustration. Honestly! What was _with_ him? He was turning into a hormonal human adolescent! Sitting up and punching his pillow in an effort to fluff it into submission, the Doctor plunked his head back down and forced himself to close his eyes.

Images of Rose leaning seductively against her doorframe played before his closed eyes. Aargh. "Help me out, old girl?" he almost whimpered, hoping the TARDIS might have some idea how to distract him. The TARDIS responded by dimming the lights to five percent. Mentally thanking her, the Doctor turned on his side and tried to clear his mind. The TARDIS continued in her effort to relax him by flashing scenes of his favourite snow topped mountain view on Gallifrey in his mind. She didn't often invade his mental privacy in this way, but he had asked for help, and this particular mountain view always calmed him.

The serene scene played out in front of him and he felt his body relax. Red grass rippled and silver leaved trees swayed gently in the warm wind. He imagined lying in the soft grass, hands beneath his head, staring up at the orange tinted sky. A pair of flutterwings danced above him and he could almost hear some tafelshrews trundling through the bushes nearby. The smell memory of the fragrant grass mixed with a deep smell of tranberkian tree bark engulfed his senses and his mind began to let go of consciousness to float up into the orange sky. He almost felt like he was flying, sans TARDIS. An inexplicable feeling of longing overcame him, almost pulling him from the blissful feeling of peace, but not quite. From far off he heard a peaceful humming sound floating above the drone of the insects living and working in the field around him. The song seemed to have a beaconing tune, but he could barely make out.

As the tune grew louder, he raised himself onto his elbows to look for its source. In the distance he could make out a female form moving slowly toward him. As she got closer, her song began to permeate his mind and it seemed it was all he could hear. She wasn't singing the words, but he recognized the tune. His breath caught. It was a tune he'd heard a few times in his youth, mostly as part of folklore study. It was an ancient Gallifreyan courting song. It was only ever sung with the express purpose of declaring one's desire to 'be with' the person they loved. And not in the 'let's go to the pictures' kind of way, either.

Squinting his eyes in an effort to see who exactly this was, he knew before he could even make out her lovely face that this tantalizing form approaching him was Rose. She wore a loose white shift, under which, he could see as she got closer, she wore nothing at all. The wind blew the loose garment against her curves as she walked and her hair drifted in brilliant yellow waves to form a golden halo against the sun. She continued humming and the melody combined with the tantalizing vision of her moving ever closer stirred something primal in him.

Clambering to his feet, he started walking toward her, making every step count. It took him longer to reach her than it should've, he thought, but reach her he did. Standing before her, he watched her lie down in the soft red grass in front of him, beckoning him to join her with a seductive 'come here' gesture. She looked completely vulnerable lying there, waiting only for him. The longing he felt earlier flared in him then, and he wasted no time trying to relieve it. Kneeling beside her, he knew he needed her more than anything he'd ever needed before in any of his lives.

The song continued in the air around them, though Rose was no longer the one humming it. The musical Gallifreyan lyrics began to seep through the lush tones and added further fuel to the fire, if that was possible. Almost roughly grabbing her hands and pulling them above her head, he saw Rose's mouth open in pleased surprise. He thought she may have made a sound, but the song was all encompassing. It pulsed around and through him. Almost desperate to claim her, he pressed his lips to her warm mouth, as if this was his last chance to show her how he truly felt about her. She eagerly returned his kiss with ferver. His hands squeezed and fondled her through the thin fabric covering her and Rose moaned loudly as he explored her. "Oh, Rose," the Doctor murmured, finally letting her catch her breath while he nipped and kissed at her exposed delicate neck. Underneath him, Rose's hips flexed up to push needfully into his groin. He growled in response and grabbed her bottom fiercely, thrusting his erection more firmly into her thigh. "Oh! Oh...ohhhh" he moaned, capturing her mouth again, possessively twining his tongue around hers. This was it. He could wait no longer. It was time to let Rose feel the full force of his desire for her. She would be his. He would see to that.


	2. Chapter 2

_This was it. He could wait no longer. It was time to let Rose feel the full force of his desire for her. She would be his. He would see to that._

* * *

After the unmanly squeak the Doctor unleashed before hurriedly sequestering himself in his room, Rose stood for a few moments, still leaning drunkenly against her doorframe. Oh my, she felt a bit flushed. Hot even. Whew. That man was SO delicious. She licked her lips remembering him looking down at her, clearly appreciating her figure. Wow. His lips really were incredible. Edible. Incredible edible. That sounded good. Incredible edible. Blimey, that had been some cocktail she'd had a few too many of. What did he call it? Yellow? Stupid name. It was pink, after all. She chuckled, pushing herself unsteadily away from the doorframe.

Eying the recently closed door, she considered her options. Maybe she should just go in there and snog him until his respiratory bypass kicked in. Now _that_ was an intoxicating idea. Then again, given her present state of mind it was very possible she'd been imagining his roaming eyes. It was bloody likely, really. She sighed. Damn.

Why did the universe have to be so cruel? The perfect bloke. All brilliant, and amazing, and gorgeous, and available. But he didn't fancy her. Not _really_. Oh, they held hands and bumped shoulders. He could hug a bit too tightly sometimes. He could flirt, alright. But he didn't seem to want to...get closer. Mind you, he _was_ alien, after all. Maybe Time Lords simply _couldn't_... do that. She would sure like to _do that_ with this particular Time Lord though, she mused. Even in his last body - all leather and gruff, she wanted him. What woman wouldn't? What woman _didn't_, she thought dryly. He was brilliant, he'd saved entire worlds and civilizations, he was ancient, but childlike in so many ways. And he adored her. She knew that. Just not 'that way'.

Resigned, Rose sighed again and turned to push her own door open. Closing her door behind her after she entered, she dropped her clothes piece by piece on the floor as she trudged to the loo. Quickly brushing her teeth and sloshing water over her face, she made her way to her bed, falling headlong onto it, enjoying the feel of her silky sheets beneath her naked body. Her room was warmer than usual for some reason, so she threw her duvet off of the bed in favour of using only her thin sheets. She slid languidly between her them, wriggling a bit to fully enjoy the feel of the soft fabric against her skin. Finally settling, she let her mind float for a few minutes, enjoying the euphoric feeling the cocktails induced. Before she knew it, she was sleeping.

It was only an hour or so later when she was pulled from sleep, aware that she wasn't alone in her room. The soft click of her door opening must have brought her closer to consciousness, but it was the ragged breathing at the foot of her bed that fully alerted her. Opening her eyes, she found a very naked and aroused Doctor standing still in the soft light filtering in from the corridor, his breathing rough and his eyes impossibly dark.

"Doctor?" Rose choked, sure she must be dreaming. Why else would the Doctor be standing starkers at the foot of her bed?

Moving swiftly, the Doctor crawled his way up the mattress to kneel beside her, his lithe body leaning over her, his eyes hazed with lust.

Holy cow. Was this really happening? She wondered briefly if the Yellow she'd consumed a few hours ago caused hallucinations. This was about as good as hallucinations went, as far as she was concerned. The Doctor was gloriously naked, his narrow but well muscled chest rising and falling with his ragged breaths in the soft light as he knelt beside her. His hair was gorgeously tousled and his eyes were... intense.

All thoughts of hallucination were unceremoniously erased when the Doctor seized her wrists and pulled her arms up roughly over her head. His face hovered inches from hers. Rose was vaguely aware that she'd let out a breathy groan of desire in response. He was practically vibrating with sensual energy and she seemed to be the lucky recipient. Maybe he'd been affected by the cocktails as much as she had. Not that she hadn't desperately wished for this particular outcome, but his response to all of her earlier advances certainly hadn't seemed very encouraging. Once again, all doubts about the meaning of this encounter were erased as his needy mouth descending upon hers, his tongue demanding entrance past her lips to tangle deliciously with hers. All conscious thought was expelled as Rose felt herself give in to this sensation, pouring all her pent up desire for him into the kiss.

Letting her wrists loose in favour of exploring her body, the Doctor practically ripped the silken sheet off of her to run his hands greedily over her bare skin as if he might not ever get the chance again. Kneading and fondling her as his hands roved, Rose allowed herself the same liberty now that her hands were free. The first words he uttered since he entered her room tonight filled the air and pooled in her groin. "Oh, Rose," he growled as her fingertips ran down his well toned back. Enjoying his enthusiastic response, she cupped his bottom tightly before raking her nails back up against his skin. The Doctor hissed his appreciation into her mouth before releasing her lips to skim down her neck, nipping and sucking as he went. Rose felt her hips reflexively push up against him in an effort to relieve some of the ache that was beginning to build between her legs. His response came in the form of hands grasping her bottom tightly to pull her further up into him, his erection pressing firmly into her thigh. "Oh! Oh...ohhhh" he moaned, capturing her mouth again, possessively twining his tongue around hers.

Further spurred on by his needy groans, Rose reached down to stroke him, only to find her hand firmly in his grip before she reached her goal.

"You. Are. Mine." the Doctor said, stopping all movement and staring into her eyes intently. He seemed... desperate.

"Yes," she agreed, confused but pleased at this turn of events. "I'm yours, Doctor," she confirmed.

He seemed to relax slightly at this, but his hand held firm. "Forever. You said forever," he said, his voice almost shaking with need.

"Yes, Doctor... forever," she reassured him.

"Forever," he repeated. "Mine forever." With that, he let her hand go and lifted his hands to skim her temples with the tips of his fingers. All of a sudden, she felt his presence permeating her mind. It started gently as a small tingling sensation but it quickly became almost overpowering in its intensity. He seemed to be everywhere all at once. His need and lust becoming almost painfully clear as he pushed himself further into her mind. He needed her. More than she ever could have imagined. It was... primal. But the feeling that was her undoing was the one floating on the tail of this seemingly unquenchable desire. It was becoming clearer and clearer by the moment as he unloaded his emotions in one rolling mass into her consciousness. It was a profound all-encompassing mental manifestation of... love.

She never knew. How could she not have known? This feeling that seemed to swell to proportions that couldn't possibly be contained. Well, she knew he enjoyed her company and he seemed sometimes to maybe want more than that, but _this_? _Love?_ She thought she might lose consciousness at the sheer force of it. The realization undid her. He loved her. And she loved him. So much... she wondering if he could see that. She hoped he could.

All she could feel was him. She let his love for her wash over her like a soothing balm, even as another feeling that emanated from him made her feel almost desperate. That feeling of ... not just _want_ exactly. Something stronger. More all-consuming. It was... craving. Yearning. That's the feeling that clawed at her now as well. Yearning. And the magnitude of it made her ache. He had to claim her. And she would let him, because she loved him like she'd never loved anyone else.

From somewhere outside of this mental whirlwind, she felt a strong push and the sensation of being filled. Body and mind. She felt him stretch her and she heard her body groan in pleasure just as his thrust deeply into her again and again. Pleasure roiled through them, his amplifying hers through the mental connection they were sharing. She could actually feel the tightness of her heat around him and the waves of almost painful bliss beating through him with each thrust. She found her own body tightening and building to near completion in response.

"Doctor!" she heard herself scream, overcome with all the sensation pounding her from every facet of her awareness.

"Rose... ohhhh, Rose!" the Doctor yelled, finally leaving his body to wild abandon and he crested and came inside her. The overwhelming rapture pulled her body over the teetering precipice she was on and her orgasm slammed them into a pulsing, blinding bliss that turned into something else entirely. The joy of their physical joining erupted into an overwhelming sensation of openness. Rose had the most peculiar feeling that she was literally floating in the Doctor's mind. She should be terrified, she knew, but she was unable to feel anything but complete happiness. She felt safe here. She could feel the Doctor's presence enveloping her, like a passionate hug. At the same time, she knew her mind was equally open to him. She could just feel it. Once again, she hoped he felt the same way she did. She hoped he knew he was loved and always wanted there. She felt a reassuring mental 'squeeze' at the thought. He did. She felt giddy at the prospect.

This feeling of being joined with him in this way was incredible, and she was working her hardest to fight to stay conscious so she could bask in it as long as she could. Once again, she felt him reassure her. He would be there in the morning. She knew it and trusted it. She felt him help her turn her body so he was nestled in close to her back. _"Sleep_," she thought she heard him say. But not out loud. It was in her mind. He repeated the word, followed by a musical, chiming sound she knew to be his language. Normally the TARDIS didn't translate his language for her. She always assumed it was out of respect for his privacy. This time, though, she did. _"Sleep, my wife, my love."_ Surprise rattled through her. _My WIFE?_ No. Surely it had been translated wrong. But before she had a chance to question him about it, she realized he was lulling her to sleep with his mind. _Wait,_ she tried to think to him. But that was the last thought she had before dropping into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

_"Sleep, my wife, my love." Surprise rattled through her. My WIFE? No. Surely it had been translated wrong. But before she had a chance to question him about it, she realized he was lulling her to sleep with his mind. "Wait," she tried to think to him. But that was the last thought she had before dropping into unconsciousness._

* * *

Rose woke to complete blackness. Running her fingers up to her eyes, she checked to make sure they were even open. Maybe she was still sleeping? No. Her eyes were definitely open. She quickly became aware that she was cocooned in a Time Lord blanket. His arms and legs were tangled satisfyingly with hers and she could hear his soft breathing close to her ear. He must be sleeping. But what was with the light conservation? Maybe the TARDIS was being extra sensitive and really wanted to make sure they slept well. Unlikely.

But really, the lack of luminescence was the least of her concerns right now. She'd just made incredible, passionate love to the man she'd been in love with for years. This in itself was hardly a problem. It was brilliant, actually. Memories of him hovering over her, his chest brushing against hers, his lips encasing hers, his pelvis thrusting into hers...

Rose felt the familiar pool of desire settle in her belly. _No. Concentrate, Tyler_, she chastised herself. She had to address the frightening thought floating around in her head. What if he'd been drunk? What if the drink is what made him want her so badly. Oh, and he _wanted_ her. Remembering his essense filling her mind so completely, there was no doubt he wanted her. And she _had_ felt the overwhelming feeling of love from him. He _did_ love her. She was sure of it.

Reaching back in her mind, she found a warm, inviting... how could she describe it? A tunnel? Hardly did it justice. More like... a cozy entryway into... him. Gently peeking into the 'entryway', trying not to wake him, she felt a welcoming, warm feeling fill her from top to bottom. Ohhhh, this was heavenly. She wondered if the... link, for want of a better word, would always be there, or if he could turn it on and off. Could _she_ turn it on and off? Honestly, she didn't want to try. What if she couldn't turn it back on? She knew she'd feel empty without it. She wondered brielfy if this is what the Doctor had felt all the time when the Time Lords had been alive. She couldn't imagine having it ripped away from her now that she'd experienced it.

Her mind hovered there, enjoying the pleasant sensation of being near his. Her thoughts harkened back to last night. She recalled feeling a bit unsettled before falling asleep. He'd... he'd called her his _wife_! His wife? Is that what happened last night? Had they gotten married... or the Time Lord equivalent? She guessed they had. Well he idid/i mention something about 'Forever'. Was that a Time Lord proposal? Oh my. She was married. The thought made her head spin. Married. What would her mom say? Oh, he was definitely going to be on the receiving end of a Tyler slap when Jackie found out. The thought made her smile. She felt giddy. Mrs. Time Lord. No. Mrs. Doctor? Maybe just plain, 'Rose Tyler, wife of the Doctor.' That would probably have to do.

She was getting ahead of herself. The presence of their link in her mind reassured her that he really had felt the way she thought he had last night. She desperately hoped he wouldn't regret what they'd done. She didn't. She sort of wished she'd had a bit more notice about the 'married' thing, but she'd never wanted anyone but him since she'd met him anyhow. This was something she'd never dare dream of, yet it had happened.

Opening her eyes again, she was once again met with only blackness. That _was_ odd. There was always at least a bit of ambient light coming from somewhere. And... there was a distinct... odor in the air. It was faint, and not unpleasant, but definitely there. Breathing deeply, she tried to put place it. Sort of... fresh smelling. Like walking in the forest in spring. Trying to focus on the TARDIS rather than the gorgeous sleeping Time Lord lying naked beside her, she became aware that they had taken off. She didn't recall him setting coordinates or anything when they'd returned from the bar last night. But then, her memory of last night might be a bit skewed due to the intoxicants she'd partaken in. Maybe he _had_ sent her into the vortex before they'd gone to bed last night. Should she be worried? Not willing to chance it, Rose decided she'd better wake him. The lack of lighting already had her concerned.

"Doctor?" she gently shook him. "Doctor... wake up."

X?X?X?X

The Doctor had been floating in a sea of Rose. His dreams were a mixture of red grass, tranberkian tree bark, silken sheets, incredible lovemaking, and her. Rose. He spent the night half in sleep and half in consciousness. Their bond had flared brilliantly in his mind, fully wakening him from their incredible 'dreamed' lovemaking. Suddenly he found that his dream had become reality. And rather than feel the guilt he knew he should feel, he felt only satisfaction. He'd always assumed he'd be so overwhelmed with guilt at such an intrusion into her mind that he could never live with himself afterward. But here he was, basking in their shared reality, their bond warm and inviting in his mind.

"Doctor?" he heard from somewhere in the distance. "Doctor... wake up."

He felt the world shaking him and he became aware that concern was leaking through the newly formed link between himself and his Rose. His. The thought sent fire through his viens. She was _his_.

"Doctor, it's okay... it's just me. It's Rose," her soothing voice pulled at him through the last vestiges of sleep.

"Rose," he said, now fully awake and alert. "Rose," he said, sitting up quickly, "are you alright? Is something wrong?" Then, realizing they were lying in the pitch black, he mentally asked the TARDIS for more illumination. Nothing happened.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, I wasn't going to wake you up, but the TARDIS, I think she's taken off. Is that possible? And I didn't know if I should be worried about the lights or not. Should I be?" Rose asked.

Taking a breath in, he reached out to touch his mind to his beloved ship, and found that they had indeed taken off. What? The TARDIS only ever took off without his piloting if he directed her to.

"You're right, Rose, she _has_ taken off. And, yes... you were right to be concerned about the lights, my love," he said, untangling himself from their embrace and climbing off of the bed.

_My love_. He'd said it so casually. Rose felt herself flush.

"Doctor," Rose said, plunging ahead with this thought, feeling braver than she thought she was capable now that she was in the cover of darkness, "last night, I, uh... well, I think I might have had a bit too much to drink." She swallowed thickly, hoping she wasn't about to burst this bubble of joy she'd been floating in since she woke. "Did... did you? Have too much to drink, I mean?" she said, terrified and hopeful all at once.

The Doctor, searching Rose's closet for her bathrobe for her, paused in alarm and fear. Had she changed her mind? The thought made his mind cloud with what could only be described as terror. She'd assured him it was 'forever' last night! Storming his way back to the bed, he found her in the dark and forcefully contacted his fingers with her temples. Their link flared. Frantically, he searched her mind. Relief poured through him. She loved him. She was worried about how _he_ felt. He sagged and blew out a breath.

"Oh, Rose," he breathed, letting his feelings for her flow through into her mind. "I love you. Never doubt it," he said aloud. "I... I don't know why last night was the night I finally had the courage to show that to you. Maybe the Yullow finally made me let my guard down completely. Now... I truly can't imagine why I'd ever held back. You are the most fantastic being I've ever met. Do you understand?"

She felt herself tearing up. She did understand. She could barely believe it, but she did understand, because that's how she felt about him. She had to admit, though, that she was a bit overwhelmed by the Doctor's desperation just now. Was he that insecure about her feelings? Surely he'd felt how hopelessly in love she was during their love-making. Then again, she'd entertained similar doubts when she woke earlier. She could hardly blame him for being worried as well.

"Yes," Rose sighed, raising her hand to find his slightly stubbled chin. Leaning forward, she kissed him softly. He responded in kind and they indulged in the lightheaded euphoria of their link combined with their physical closeness.

"So. What do you think could be up with the TARDIS?" she said, pulling away from him after a minute or two. "I didn't know she could take off without you in the console room."

"Well, she can do, but only if I've programmed her to. This is a first. Something is definitely wrong. And as much as I'd very much rather spend rest of the day in bed with you, we should really go and find out what's happening. Allons-y, my wife," he smiled. Rose was grinning ear to ear and could feel through the link that he was too. She could get used to this.

X?X?X?X?X

"Alright, old girl. What's going on with you?" the Doctor asked aloud, as they finally found their way to the control room. The odor Rose had noticed earlier seemed to get stronger and stronger the closer they got, but now that they entered it, the scent of nature was undeniable. If the Doctor noticed it, he hadn't said anything.

Luckily, there was residual lighting around the console. The Doctor quickly made his way over, checking monitors and pulling up data. Rose hung back, waiting for the verdict.

"Whoa. Hold on. What's this, then?" the Doctor asked, pausing meaningfully to study a particular monitor.

"What is it, Doctor?" Rose asked, hoping he was ready to share whatever he'd found.

"It's... holy... there's _millions_ of them!" the Doctor exclaimed, a childlike grin spreading on his face as he looked up at Rose. "Millions, Rose!"

His enthusiasm was catching and she found herself grinning like a loon right back at him. "Millions of _what_, Doctor?"

"Look!" he said, pulling an image up on the view screen. Rose ran around to see what had him so excited. Joining him to look at the screen, she found herself looking at a sea of whirling colours that the monitor usually showed when they were in the vortex. The difference was that this time, she was seeing it through a glittery haze.

"Um... it's the vortex, right?" she said uncertainly. "But, what's wrong with the monitor?" she said, leaning in closer to try to make out the vortex more clearly.

"That's just it, Rose," the Doctor said, seemingly in awe. "There's nothing wrong with the monitor. That haze you're looking at is actually millions and millions of tiny organisms! They're floating around in the vortex. I've never seen anything like it!" he said, staring mesmerized at the screen.

Rose studied the viewer even closer and finally understood what she was seeing. The mist was actually a sea of living beings moving in and around each other. They were tiny, but if she looked closely enough she was able to see their cylindrical bodies. They didn't look like any organism they'd ever come across. "Doctor, they're beautiful," she breathed, watching them move in intricate patterns around each other. They both stood staring at the monitor, watching the shiney creatures dance before them.

It was then that the TARDIS began to shake. It started lightly at first, with the floor moving a bit like it might during the light shocks of a mild quake. The shaking quickly grew until both of them were holding on to the console in an effort to remain standing. "Doctor, what's going on?!" Rose barked, fear making her voice louder than she intended.

The Doctor pulled himself to a nearby panel in a move to stabalize the room, when the shaking suddenly stopped and the room was plunged into complete and total darkness.

"Doctor!" Rose's voice rang out in surprise and fear.

"Rose. Stay where you are," the Doctor directed. "They're trying to get in." He rushed around the console, endeavoring to bolster the shields that would hold the creatures at bay. Rose assumed his superior Time Lord memory was helping him navigate, because there was certainly no light to help him.

A moment later the lights on the time rotor began pulsing in time with it's movement. "Oh, thank the gods!" the Doctor sighed in relief. Rose allowed herself to breathe again.

Their relief didn't last long, however. Within moments a deep, thrumming sound began pulsing from the top of the time rotor. The Doctor and Rose looked up simultaneously to find a bulbous pocket of... distortion... formed around the top of the rotor. It expanded at least a full metre around the circular machinery and the air within seemed to shift and warp.

"Oh my..." the Doctor started, "Rose, we're going to back up. Slowly," he instructed, gently pushing her behind him as they backed away from the console.

"Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked, doing as she was told.

"Well, it's definitely some sort of time distortion. My guess is... it's not good," the Doctor confirmed, looking up in part wonder and part worry.

"I gathered that much myself," Rose said shakily. "Got anything else?"

Before the Doctor could posit more of a theory, the quivering blob of air began pushing down the column of the rotor while still surrounding it. The TARDIS itself seemed to be inadvertently helping to push the distortion down, as with every downward push of the rotor, the bubble seemed almost to be squeezed at the top to become fuller at the bottom. Rose thought it looked rather like a half-done tube of toothpaste being squeezed from the end. Inch by inch and squeeze by squeeze, the invasive distortion was making its way closer and closer to the heart of the Doctor's dear TARDIS.

And with each push, the Doctor seemed nearer to panic. Trying to ignore the insistent deep hum of the bubble above him, he scooted around the console, careful to keep himself below the distortion. He tried a few tricks to free the rotor, including activating the 'emergency brakes' as he once called them. Nothing seemed to have any effect. Finally out of ideas and finding himself having to duck further and further down to avoid the unknown entity above him, the Doctor cursed and ducked out and back from his console. He watched in horror as the invading distortion pushed itself into the very centre of the console, through the rotor, and into the heart of the TARDIS.

The hum slowly receded as the time distortion disappeared into the very core of his beloved ship. Silence fell. The rotor continued it's movement as if nothing had happened. The Doctor stared, his hands sliding slowly down his face, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Just then, a look realization and then pure terror crossed his features. "ROSE! GET DOWN!" he shouted, jumping toward her in an effort to force her to the ground.

"Doctor, wha..." Rose started before the Doctor's body covered hers, knocking the air from her lungs. Then, hard on the heels of his tackle, a tremendous pulse was emitted from somewhere beneath them, pushing them up and away from the floor and high into the coral wall beside them. Rose's head connected hard with the wall before she and the Doctor fell roughly again to the grating beneath them.

On landing, Rose knew immediately something was terribly wrong with her. She was seeing double and the world was spinning. Carefully feeling the back of her head to assess the damage, she found her hair sticky and slick. She wasn't surprised to find her hand (all three of them, from what her eyes were telling her) come away dripping with her own blood. "Doctor," she breathed, trying to make him out through the black dots spotting her vision.

His concerned face swam into view, only to be obscured by blackness.


	4. Chapter 4

_On landing, Rose knew immediately something was terribly wrong with her. She was seeing double and the world was spinning. Carefully feeling the back of her head to assess the damage, she found her hair sticky and slick. She wasn't surprised to find her hand (all three of them, from what her eyes were telling her) come away dripping with her own blood. "Doctor," she breathed, trying to make him out through the black dots spotting her vision._

_His concerned face swam into view, only to be obscured by blackness._

Rose woke in the infirmary with a blinding headache. Cracking her eyes open slowly, the room swam into view.

"Rose!" she heard the Doctor's worried voice fall through the air as he jumped to the bedside. Gently pushing back her hair from her forehead, he leaned in and planted a kiss there.

"Doctor," she said warmly, remembering the link as it brightened in her mind with his touch.

Pulling back to look in her eyes, she was surprised to find him looking rather like he hadn't slept in days. But he ialways/i didn't sleep for days. How long had she been out? She felt relief mingled with the residual worry the Doctor was feeling spread through her as she reached back for him in her mind. She wondered if she might able to talk to him through their link. Reaching back, she tried to push a thought through to him. He smiled in response.

She felt him send her a little nudge of affection. He reached out tentatively and moved to touch her temples. Catching her eye, he checked to make sure she was alright with it. She nodded and he touched her gently, his essence brightening through their link. _ "I felt you, my love. Were you trying to send me words?"_ he asked her in her mind. She nodded. Somehow it felt wrong to answer with her voice.

_"I could sense that you were trying, but I can't hear you yet. We'll practice, though, and over time, you should be able to send me clear messages when we touch. Like I am now. Even bonded Gallifreyans take a while to learn each other's minds well enough to be able to communicate effectively through their bond without touching. And your beautiful human mind is just getting used to the intrusion. For now, I can feel some feelings if you try to send them to me on purpose, and I can feel them even more strongly when we touch. It takes a while to learn to do more than that. No rush, my love, we'll have time. But what I'm worried about right now is your head, Rose."_

"How long have I been out?" she asked, her voice cracking a bit.

The Doctor's fingers fell away from Rose's temples and he smoothed her hair back lovingly. "Long enough to have me beside myself with worry. You've been out for 18 hours, Rose. We were tossed around pretty nicely in the control room and you managed to get yourself a decent concussion. I healed the worst of it, but your body had to do the rest. So I made you sleep for a while to aid in the healing. How are you feeling?" he asked, his eyes full of concern.

"Well, my head feels like a trolley ran over it, but... I think I'm okay," she said, rubbing her temples.

"Here... take this," the Doctor ordered, placing a pill in her hand. Getting up, he got her a cup of water and gently helped her sit up.

Smiling at him in thanks, she graciously accepted his help and the medication. Whew - that was some joyride they'd had. Taking the glass back from her, he gently placed it down on the table beside him and helped her lie back down. Shaking his head, he leaned over her and stroked her hair again. "I can't believe I let this happen to you, Rose," he said, his voice faltering and his eyes glassing over. "I could've lost you. I can't ever lose you."

"Whoa, Doctor," Rose said softly, pulling him closer so she could wrap her arms around him. "I'm fine, yeah? I've just got a bit of a headache. That's all," she assured him, pushing him gently back so she could look in his eyes. He looked doubtful. "I mean it," she said steadily, willing him to believe her. Still sensing his doubt through their link, she tried to soothe him with her mind as well, trying to send positive feelings to him. He said he could feel her feelings, and she couldn't think of any other way to prove to him that he had no need to worry anymore.

"So what happened with the TARDIS back there? Is she okay now?" Rose asked, hoping to distract him a bit.

"Well, it seems that whatever it was that infiltrated the defences managed to worm its way right into the heart of the TARDIS," the Doctor said, letting out a deep breath. "I should've seen it coming right away, Rose. Any time distortion meeting directly with the energy of the vortex would of course cause a massive particle displacement. And here you are. The love of my life, suffering because I wasn't thinking ahead." He leaned forward, putting his head on her chest. She cradled him there for a few moments, wishing she could reassure him that this wasn't his fault. And for heaven's sake, she was fine now! She was about to tell him so, again, when he pulled away to look at her.

"I can't let anything ever happen to you, Rose. You have no idea what it would do to me if you were gone. I have one job now in this entire Universe and it's keeping you safe. And I've already failed. You were hurt. Look at you!" he said, completely distraught.

Alright, this was too much. Putting her hands gently on both sides of this face, she tried to talk some sense into him. "You couldn't help what happened back there, yeah? As soon as you realized there was danger, you did everything you could to keep me safe. You can't control the Universe, Doctor. Things are going to happen to us that you won't be able to anticipate. And nothing's changed from before. Yeah, I'm... your wife...now," she paused, still amazed she'd just said it, "and we still have to talk about that some more, by the way... but that doesn't change the fact that I'm going to get a bump and a scratch now and then. We're still _us_. We're still going to mess up and get captured and get thrown in dungeons and jails. The difference is that now... I know you love me." A smile cracked on the Doctor's face and his eyes lit up a bit.

"You're incredible, you know that?" the Doctor said, looking at her in wonder. "I don't deserve you. But you're right. Things _do_ happen to us. But what you don't understand is that... we're bonded now, Rose. You're my wife, in human terms, but in my culture we're so much more. Losing you before... I would've died in my hearts. But losing you now? You... are part of me. Literally. You can't fathom your importance to me, Rose. Because of you... I have even more of a reason to continue existing. Because _we_ are me now. And you are much more important to me than I ever was. Does that make sense?"

Nodding dumbly, Rose just continued staring at him with wide eyes. More than a wife? She clearly hadn't completely understood the full significance of this bond for him. She felt as bonded to him as she ever imagined she could feel with anyone... even more, since they were together in her head as well. But she was surprised at the depth of his attachment to her now. Not that she minded. What girl didn't dream of being the focus of someone's attentions and love? And their 'bond' was so new. When she thought of them being married butterflies flew in her stomach and she felt completely giddy. 'Joy' was the best word to describe her feelings. Over time they would both get more comfortable with the idea and he would be able to trust that she'd make it through their adventures in one piece. Right?

"I love you, Doctor," Rose said softly, stroking his cheek. Leaning into her, he kissed her rather chastely.

"And I love you, my wife," he murmured as they pulled apart.

The next couple of days were spent with the Doctor running diagnostic after diagnostic on the TARDIS. It turns out that after she'd been knocked out, the TARDIS had floated in the vortex aimlessly for a few hours, mostly powered down except a few key systems. Then, for no reason the Doctor could make sense of, the TARDIS powered up to 100%. Further diagnostics found that aside from extra energy being devoted to the heart of the TARDIS, she was operating as usual. It was the energy redirection which worried the Doctor, though. For all intents and purposes, the entity that infiltrated the ships defences should be long gone. Nothing but a TARDIS could exist after having been immersed in all that vortex energy. But he couldn't be sure that it wasn't the intruder that was sucking energy from his precious ship.

Between running diagnostics and popping in occasionally on Rose, he spent all his free time in the infirmary. Rose wasn't sure what he was up to in there, but he assured her he was just doing some research.

For Rose's part, she was finding it oddly lonely the last couple of days. Other than the reassuring warmth of their bond pulsing quietly in the back of her mind like a consoling hug, she had been pretty much on her own. His occasional visits lasted only a few minutes at a time, and she was beginning to worry about him. She knew the Doctor was very concerned about something. She could feel it. She assumed the TARDIS was in more danger than he was letting on. She knew he often kept things from her if he thought she'd worry. Well now that their bond was in place, she knew for sure that something more was going on. And he hadn't come to bed since...well, their first night together. Of course, she understood that he'd hardly feel 'in the mood', since his focus had to be the TARDIS and getting her well again. But she couldn't help but feel a bit bereft by his absence. And they had so much to talk about. So much had happened in the last week.

Deciding she'd search him out to at least pull him away for tea, she hunted around until she finally found him in the infirmary. He was slumped over on a counter, his head resting on a smooth surface of one of the instruments he'd clearly been studying. His glasses sat askew on his nose and he was snoring softly. Rose's heart swelled looking at him. Her all powerful alien, sleeping like a baby. Moving over to him, she gently ran her fingers through his ruffled hair. "Doctor," she said softly, trying not to jar him.

Sitting up, disoriented, Rose decided he looked even more adorable than usual when he was trying to get his bearings. "Rose?" he asked, trying to rub his eyes through his glasses.

"Yeah, it's me," she smiled. "You fell asleep. You must be knackered."

He reached over from his perch on the stool and pulled her in for a hug. Gratefully accepting this closeness, she held him tightly in return. "I'm close, Rose. Really close."

"Close to what?" she asked, still holding him.

"It's a surprise," he said, pulling back to look at her, his eyes twinkling.

"A surprise? Doctor, everything you do surprises me," she smiled, leaning in to kiss him.

She was stopped short, however, when the TARDIS thumped down hard. So hard, the Doctor fell of his stool and Rose lost her footing and toppled to the floor.

"What was _that?_" Rose squeaked.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out," the Doctor assured her, helping her up. Taking her hand, he pulled her along after him as he ran through the corridors to the control room. Entering the room, they found nothing obviously amiss. The Doctor raced to the console.

"We've landed," the Doctor said, amazed. "What are you up to?" he asked aloud, looking at the rotor which was now still. Just then, the floor started to rumble.

Backing up from the console, he turned and pushed Rose toward the TARDIS doors. "Doctor, what's going on?" Rose asked as she was ushered toward the exit.

"I don't know, Rose, but we're getting you out of here and then I'll come back and find out," he said in an even tone that forced compliance. Exiting the TARDIS, they found themselves on the top of a grassy hill. The sky was a beautiful orangey colour and the air smelled a lot like forest. It reminded Rose a bit of the smell she'd noticed in the TARDIS a few days ago. Funny... she'd forgotten about that until now.

Behind them, the TARDIS shook again and then from somewhere inside came a resounding 'thump' that made the ground beneath them vibrate. "Come on," the Doctor commanded, tugging her away from the TARDIS and down the hill toward what looked like an old hut of some kind.

"But where are we?" Rose asked, out of breath as they quickly moved away from what she thought of as their home.

"I'm not sure. It's atmosphere is quite similar to Gallifrey, though. The air's got a very similar make-up. I'd guess the soil is the same, given the smell." The Doctor stopped suddenly and dipped down to push his finger into the soil beneath them. It was no surprise to Rose when he then put it in his mouth. "Yup. Almost exactly the same, actually. A few trace elements difference, but very similar. Odd. Anyhow... given the crude housing, I'd guess it's a pre-space travel society. But it looks like we're quite alone. At least for now," he said as they neared the hut. "This place hasn't been inhabited for good long time by the looks of it," the Doctor assessed. Opening the door when they got there, the Doctor made Rose stand outside as he quickly ensured the building was sound.

"Right. Now. Stay here. Don't wander off. Got it? I'm heading back to figure out what's going on with the TARDIS. You'll be safe here," the Doctor said, more to himself than to her.

"Oi - you're not leaving me here while you go back! If it's safe enough for you, then it's safe enough for me too. I'm coming with you," Rose said, digging in her heels. She was _not_ going to let him start leaving her behind everywhere they went 'just in case'. She was in this just as much as he was. He needed to deal with it.

"Oh, no you're not," the Doctor said sternly, standing tall in front of her. "You're staying here. This is not a request, Rose."

Rose's hackles rose at this. There was no way he was going to be this domineering just because she was now his wife. She knew this moment was going to set the tone for all their coming adventures. She had to stand her ground. "Doctor, we're not arguing about this. I'm coming. That's that," she said, walking past him, heading back out the door. She didn't get far though before she found her upper arm in a vise grip. She swung around to find the Doctor glaring down at her, her arm held tightly in his strong hand. He looked... scarey. She'd only ever seen him look at a few others like this. And all of those had been on his bad side. Her first response was fear. But she quickly shook it off. This was the Doctor. _Her_ Doctor. He would never hurt her. And as much as she felt overcome by his glare, she had to try to get through to him.

Trying to pull her arm from his grip, she found him unyielding. "Let me go," she demanded, trying to be firm rather than showing how she really felt, which was distinctly unsettled.

"I can't let you go, Rose," the Doctor said, seemingly calmly, but the feelings drifting through their link told her differently. "You need to stay here."

"And I told you that I'm coming," she shot back, trying to give him as intimidating a glare as she could. She hoped he could feel that she wasn't going to back down. Trying once again to pull her arm free, she winced as his grip only tightened. Powerful waves of exasperation, determination and near fury rolled through their link, nearly taking Rose's breath away.

Then, catching her off guard, the Doctor forcibly dragged her back from the door and roughly sat her on the ground near what looked like a stove of some kind. She'd been thumped to the dirt floor so hard that her breath was nearly knocked from her. And before she could even object, she found herself handcuffed to the stove itself. Where the hell did he get those?

"You're. Staying. Here." There was now no arguing. She was staying put. He stood over her for a moment, apparently now satisfied that she wasn't going anywhere. "I'm sorry, Rose. I have to keep you safe." Rose felt him relax slightly though their link, though he was still clearly intent on keeping her here. "Safe," Rose thought she heard the Doctor say again before turning and walking out the door, closing it behind him.

Hearing his footsteps retreating from the hut, Rose sat on the floor, stunned. Tears began to fall, despite her attempts to hold them at bay. What was going on? This wasn't like him. He'd never looked at her that way before, no matter how much she was sure she'd annoyed him. He'd certainly had reason to be angry with her in the past. How many times had she wandered off, managing to get herself into trouble, and he'd had to rescue her from her own stupidity? Oh, he'd had cause to be downright livid with her before now. But this reaction was beyond anything she'd ever experienced from him. He wasn't himself.

She tried to think back to when she'd first noticed any changes in him. She realized it was when he'd first entered her bedroom. The night they... oh, no. No. No, no, no... Had he even _wanted_ to be with her? Was something wrong with him then? His incredible transformation from best friend to lover had seemed rather sudden, but then, he did say that he'd loved her for years before then. She remembered him saying that he didn't really know what had spurred him into action that night, but that he wasn't sorry for it. She wanted to believe him. She _had_ felt real love through their link. She knew that. But had he really wanted to end up with a _wife?_ Well, now he had one. And here she was, handcuffed to a stove by the man she trusted most in the Universe. Tears flowed freely now. Anger and helplessness seated themselves deeply in her. She wished hoped he could feel every tingle of pain she was experiencing right now through their link. Maybe it might convince him to come back.

It didn't.

Hours passed, and Rose waited impatiently for the Doctor's return. Her tears had long since dried up, but her worry hadn't abated. The man she loved was... wrong. He wasn't himself. And he needed her. Whether he had actually wanted this to happen... their...marriage, in the first place, she wouldn't know until he was fixed. And she had to find out how to do it. If that meant she'd have to promise to do whatever he asked - ludicrous or not - then she would. She certainly couldn't do anything to help him from here.

****She began to form a plan. She would save her Doctor. Even if it meant that he wouldn't want to be hers anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank-you so much to all who have reviewed and faved! There's nothing like a review to perk up the ol' brain cells! (shameless plug for more reviews...)**

* * *

_Hours passed, and Rose waited impatiently for the Doctor's return. Her tears had long since dried up, but her worry hadn't abated. The man she loved was... wrong. He wasn't himself. And he needed her. Whether he had actually wanted this to happen... their...marriage, in the first place, she wouldn't know until he was fixed. And she had to find out how to do it. If that meant she'd have to promise to do whatever he asked - ludicrous or not - then she would. She certainly couldn't do anything to help him from here._

_She began to form a plan. She would save her husband. Even if it meant that he wouldn't want to be called that anymore._

* * *

When the Doctor finally returned many hours later, he found Rose had fallen asleep, her arm still firmly attached to the ancient metal stove. He'd felt guilty about leaving her there like that, but her safety was the priority. And she just wouldn't listen! He felt exasperated all over again just remembering their argument. Why didn't she understand? She had to stay safe. And he was right to cuff her here in the end, because the TARDIS really wasn't a safe place to be. The shaking and vibrating continued even now. He'd gone back and tried to sort out what the issue was. He took apart part of the console in an effort to figure out the problem, he'd run several different diagnostics, and he'd even tried yelling at her. All to no avail. She remained stubbornly uncommunicative. And stuck. She'd all but planted herself on the hill where she stood and refused to budge. He'd begun to wonder if she was literally rooting herself there. Now that was a thought.

What bothered him most, though, through all this, was the unease he had been feeling from the TARDIS. Like... something threatening was lurking behind every corner. He tried to shake off the nagging sense of foreboding, but it just wouldn't leave him. It had him on high alert. And it wasn't him she was worried about, either. He was sure of it. He was also sure that somehow, Rose was in danger. He couldn't put his finger on how he knew. He just did. And she trusted him to protect her, so that is what he was going to do. Even if she didn't like it.

While he worked, he pulled up the monitor to keep an eye on the hut, just to make sure Rose remained safe down there. When he pulled up from under the console for the fourth time, he realized it was dark outside. It was halfway through this planet's night cycle. Jumping up, alarmed that he'd left Rose alone for so long, he quickly grabbed up some supplies and made his way out of the TARDIS and down the hill to the shack he'd left her in.

Now here he was. Watching her sleep. She was an angel. But he'd left her uncomfortable and, while he knew he'd had no choice but to make sure she didn't wander off or follow him back to the TARDIS, he felt badly that she had been left on this cold dirt floor.

Easing himself down to kneel beside her, he slipped a blanket down and gently lay her down on it, careful not to pull on the cuffs. He unrolled the other half of the blanket and lay beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist as she slept. He was glad she hadn't woken. She needed her sleep. So bloody _fragile_, these humans. He shook his head. At least she was safe with him. He'd never let anything happen to her. In fact, he was working on something that would boost her safety rating from her current 10% to at least 80% as far as he could see. The numbers were merely an analogy, of course, but he was trying to think of a way he could explain this to her so she'd understand. He wanted her to agree to the idea. That part wasn't mandatory, but it would be nice, he mused. He knew that he'd have to go ahead with it anyway, even if she balked at it. Her well being was always priority one. No matter what.

X?X?X?X?X?X

Rose woke to sunlight warming her face. The Doctor was flopped over her, his arm tight around her middle and his long legs draped over hers. It took her a moment to fight through the haze of sleep to remember where she was. The sunlight was coming from a crack in the wall beside where she slept. She recalled her uncomfortable evening waiting for the Doctor to come back. She remembered fighting sleep, but she must have lost the battle. And it was now morning and she was still trussed up. Part of her wanted to hall off and punch him squarely in the jaw for putting her through all he did last night. The other part of her, though, knew this probably wasn't him. Not really. He would never knowingly be abusive to her.

Watching him sleep now, she could scarcely believe this was the same man who cuffed her to a stove last night. He looked whole-ly innocent, lying beside her, mouth opened slightly, air puffing softly against her cheek. _Barmy alien_, she thought, smiling to herself. She wanted to stroke his cheek, but she wasn't quite ready for him to wake yet. She was enjoying this fantasy that he was still just her crazy Doctor and that he really _did_ love her and want to be bonded with her. She felt a tear slip down into her hair. This had been her most incredible dream come true and now it was turning into her worst nightmare.

Stirring slightly, the Doctor opened his eyes to find Rose staring at him. He smiled lazily at her until he realized she was crying. Crying? Why was she crying? Alarmed, he sat up quickly, scrutinizing the surroundings. Nothing appeared out of place. He was sure he'd have woken if something had gotten in. Feeling a bit more secure that nothing had tried to come in while he slept, he turned to Rose and leaned back on his elbow to study her face. "Rose, why are you crying?" he asked, hoping he wouldn't hear that she'd somehow been hurt on his watch.

Rose felt his distress through their link, but the primary emotion she felt was protectiveness. She wanted to believe he was just concerned about her feelings, but she suspected it was more primal than that. Her thoughts were confirmed with his next question.

"Did something hurt you last night?" he asked, his eyes turning dark.

She found her voice quickly, wanting to put him at ease. She needed him to let her out of here. "No! No, Doctor. Nothing hurt me. I'm fine," she reassured him. "How are you?" she asked tentatively.

"Me?" he asked, surprised that she'd even ask, "I'm alright. I'm always alright. Fit as a fiddle. The TARDIS, though. She's still shaking and vibrating. And... there's something not quite right about her. She won't talk to me."

"She talks to you?" Rose asked, genuinely curious despite her current predicament.

"Oh yes. Regularly. Not in words, mind. Pictures, mostly. But she's being stubborn. Either that, or for some reason she's just not able to reach out right now. Whatever the reason, I'm cut off from her. I can still feel her though. She's... disturbed about something. I don't know what. But whatever it is, she thinks it's a threat. And I've been with her long enough to trust her judgement. That's why I want you to stay here a while longer," he said, looking at her seriously.

"What?" Rose squalked. She hadn't wanted to react this way. She'd hoped he'd have come to his senses by now, but she'd also planned to go along with him if he hadn't. She had to convince him that she'd do as he says. "Um... I mean... really? Do you... well, if you think I'd be safer here, then I guess I'll stay put," she said, swallowing her desire to argue vehemently with him. Pasting a smile on her face, she tried to look cooperative. Remembering then that he could feel her as well as see her, she did her best to think of... puppies and rainbows. Oh, God. O.k., anything positive. She thought about... holding hands with him while they walked in the market a few weeks back. A warm, comforting memory. It seemed to work.

He eyed her suspiciously for a moment, then seemed to relax a bit, finally letting a bit of a smile grace his beautiful lips. "You're not going to argue with me?" the Doctor asked, seemingly confused.

"Doctor," Rose tried to reassure him, "I know you're only making sure that I'm safe. And I know that I tend to get myself into the odd jam, so I get it. You're just looking out for me," she said, wrapping her free hand around his neck to pull him down for a kiss. She tried not to think about how much she needed the 'real' him back as she did so. After all, what if the 'real' him wouldn't want this anymore?

Realizing she was tainting the moment with negative thoughts, she tried to push them aside and enjoy the feel of his lips on hers. Not hard to do.

Finally pulling back, the Doctor beamed down at her. Oh, how she loved that smile. "I'm so glad you understand, Rose. I was worried you were angry with me," he said a bit sadly. Rose's heart pulled for him. He really _was_ just trying to protect her, even if it was misguided. But that was the problem, right there, she reminded herself. It was completely misguided. She had to keep reminding herself that he needed help. This wasn't completely _him_.

"My Doctor, I'm not angry with you. I'll stay here, o.k.?" she placated. "I'd appreciate it if you could unlock these, though. My wrist is getting really sore," she tried, almost holding her breath waiting for a response.

She could see indecision in his eyes, and didn't even have to look to their bond to know what he was feeling. He knew her well. She just hoped that he would trust her words rather than look to her past in making this decision. Finally, he stood. Wait! Was he leaving? Rose's thoughts turned to panic. But then he stepped over her to her other side and knelt down to undo the clasp on the cuffs. Relief poured through her and she allowed her feelings of thanks to flow freely in her mind. Once again, she wondered if he could feel everything she thought or if he only felt some things.

"I'm trusting you, Rose," he warned sternly. "You have to stay here. It's just not safe out there. Anything could happen to you. Do you understand?"

She nodded her confirmation, giving him her most earnest look. Seemingly placated, his eyes softened and he stepped closer and took her firmly in his arms. "I love you, Rose Tyler." He sounded so _sure_.

"I love you too, Doctor," Rose said, once again tearing up.

Pulling back, the Doctor looked at her seriously. "Don't cry, Rose. You're alright here. I promise," he said, once again completely misreading her. Clearly her 'safety' was all he could think about.

Snogging her again soundly, he then turned and left the hut, closing the door firmly behind him. Rose moved to the window to watch him trudge back up the hill toward the TARDIS. What was going on in his head? He'd said that the TARDIS was anxious. How did he say it? She sensed a threat of some kind. Was the TARDIS making him feel this way? All protective? Or was it the other way round? Maybe she was just reflecting his feelings back to him? But the TARDIS was definitely off.

Rose tried to think back again to when this all started. Back even before she and the Doctor... even before then Rose had noticed changes around the TARDIS but hadn't thought much about them at the time. For one thing, their rooms had been migrating closer to each other. The TARDIS was always changing things around, though, so it didn't really strike her as that odd. She'd also noticed that lately when they'd watch movies together, the selection had been narrowed to mostly romances. And while they almost always sat close when watching the telly, their choices of places to sit had become narrowed to the comfy loveseat in front of the screen or one of two really quite lumpy and uncomfortable arm chairs placed inconveniently off to either side. It had also seemed to her that the space to maneuver in the kitchen had become narrower so that they ended up touching every time they tried to pass each other. Again, she really hadn't thought much of it at the time. But now that this had all happened, she wondered. Had the TARDIS orchestrated all this? But why would she? She thought of the lights going out. Surely that hadn't been for their benefit. Those little creatures were probably the cause of that. She recalled watching them skitter and glide about on the screen in the control room, their cylindrical bodies wiggling around in lovely patterns. It reminded her of... something. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. What if they had something to do with all of this? The Doctor's behaviour had really ramped up after they had affected the TARDIS. What if they were somehow controlling the TARDIS and by extension, were now controlling the Doctor? No. Things had started changing before they arrived. Somehow they did seem linked, though.

Rose rubbed her forehead. This was giving her a headache. From her vantage point at the window, she could see the TARDIS standing looking rather serene up on top of the hill, the pale orange sky showing off her blue exterior. That was her home now. And something was wrong with her. Feeling frustratingly helpless sitting here, she was itching to get moving, but she wanted to wait a bit longer in hopes that the Doctor would be immersed in repairs or the like. She hated deceiving him like this, but she couldn't help him from here, and she had to find out what was going on.

After what she felt was a good amount of time, she cracked the front door open and peeked out. Hoping the Doctor was ensconced in his work, she slipped out and made her way around the side of the cabin so she'd be concealed if he happened to look out the TARDIS door. Her goal was to make her way up to the TARDIS, wait until the Doctor went down to check on her, then slip inside. Whatever was going on, the TARDIS knew about it. She wasn't talking to the Doctor, but maybe she'd talk to her. She honestly doubted it, but she had to try something. And the TARDIS seemed to be the key here, she just wasn't sure how she was involved and why. Rose had always felt a bond with the TARDIS, especially since the Doctor had regenerated. She didn't see pictures or anything like the Doctor said he did, but Rose could often sense the TARDIS and sometimes had vague impressions from her... like shadows of feelings. Maybe the TARDIS had been trying to tell her something these past couple of weeks and she hadn't heard? Well, she had to try now.

Keeping an eye on the doors of the TARDIS, Rose slowly made her way up the hill, hoping that somehow she'd find a way to help the man who she hoped would still be her husband when this was all over.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks again for your lovely reviews! My muse is fluffing her feathers in preparation for more chapters...**

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_Keeping an eye on the doors of the TARDIS, Rose slowly made her way up the hill, hoping that somehow she'd find a way to help the man who she hoped would still be her husband when this was all over._

* * *

Tea time came around quickly... his time sense must be a bit off. Odd. Usually he was aware of the passing of every earth second, but lately he'd been slipping. Time seemed to fly by when he wasn't specifically paying attention. But he could hardly be blamed after what he'd discovered. The thought sent a thrill of excitement through him. It was time to tell her.

He glanced at the monitor he'd hooked up in the infirmary. The cabin sat silent and stoic as ever at the bottom of the hill. His hearts swelled thinking of his Rose, waiting for him there. He was the luckiest man in existence. He knew that. He'd been so ignorant in his efforts to shield his hearts from breaking before their bonding. If he hadn't finally taken that step he'd never have known real joy. He thought he was alive before, but he'd had no idea what real life was. This was life. _She_ was his life. And even her eventual passing and his impending heartbreak would be worth the years he'd have to love her. His hearts clenched at the thought. But he needn't dwell on that thought now. He had plans. And now he knew they'd work. He'd spent hours in the lab over the past week and what he suspected he now knew to be true. Now all he had to do was put his plans into action.

Throwing the door to the TARDIS open, he took a deep breath of the woodsy scented air. He found it invigorating. Looking down the hill to where she waited, he felt a buzz of exhilaration pass through him. This was it. He hoped she would be as excited as he was. How could she not be?

Striding down toward the hut, he found himself once again wishing he could see Rose's timeline. It was stubbornly obscured from him, though, because he had confounded it with his presence. What he wouldn't give for the reassurance that it could provide. He just prayed it lasted longer than he seemed to constantly fear.

Finally making it to the door of the cabin, he pushed it open. "Rose," he smiled, peeking in. What greeted him made his stomach drop. The small shack was empty.

Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it! He _knew_ he should've trusted his instincts. He should've cuffed her. As much as he loved her, in his hearts he knew she didn't really understand the danger. And now she was out, wandering around somewhere on this planet. Who knew what lived on it?

Then panic started to set in. What if she was taken from the cabin when he wasn't looking at the monitor? Were the indigenous creatures on this planet friendly? They were humanoid, at least, judging by the structure and layout of the cabin. But that certainly didn't mean anything in terms of her safety. If anything, it actually made him worry more. Humanoids could be so aggressive and territorial. What if she'd been discovered and taken into slavery? Rassilon! What had he done, leaving her out here?

Racing out the door of the cabin, he ran around the structure frantically trying to see if maybe she'd just come out for some air. He was rewarded only with tranquility and a light breeze. Damn it!

Hold up. The TARDIS. She'd wanted to go with him back to the TARDIS. Maybe she'd actually gone up there on her own. As much as he'd spent time in there over these past two days, he knew his ship was unpredictable right now and the TARDIS was not where Rose should be. Certainly not alone. Bounding up the hill, he came to the doors of the TARDIS and threw them open. If she was here, he'd be so incredibly relieved. Then he would be furious. But first, he needed to be relieved. Where was she? Throwing the TARDIS an insistent mental order, he demanded that she tell him if Rose was inside.

Pure relief washed through him as she confirmed that Rose was indeed on board. He was sent a picture of her in the room under the console. Mentally thanking his dear ship for finally talking to him, he bounded across the grating and down the ramp leading to the room that housed the heart of his ship. Coming closer, he could hear Rose talking. Who was she talking to?

"...and something's wrong. You must feel it, yeah? I just want to help. Both of you. But you have to help me understand what's going on."

X?X?X?X?X?X?X

After making it up the hill, Rose had hidden around the side of the TARDIS until the Doctor finally emerged. Praying he wouldn't linger and for some reason decide to examine the TARDIS exterior, she was rewarded when he finally headed down toward the cabin and she was able to sneak in through the doors.

Entering quickly and closing the doors behind her, she found the control room in disarray. Panels from the console were strewn about and parts from inside it were stacked in neat piles around the room. The TARDIS was quiet for a few moments, but it wasn't long before she started shaking like she had before. A deep rhythmic thumping seemed to eminate from beneath her somewhere. As she moved further into the control room, the now familiar smell of nature once again asserted itself. What _was _that? As she moved around the room, the smell seemed to grow more insistent as she neared the ramp leading down and under the console. Seeing as she had no particular 'lead' to follow, this seemed as good a direction as any. The shaking stopped as she headed down the ramp and into the darkened room below the grating. The smell here was almost overpowering. As comforting and fresh smelling as it was from the room above, down here it made her eyes water. But it wasn't just the smell that had Rose worried. She felt a definite feeling of foreboding. Is this what the Doctor had been talking about? Maybe the TARDIS was trying to communicate with her right now?

"Um... Hi there," Rose said, tentatively addressing the TARDIS. "I, uh, thought we could talk. Or... whatever it is we might be able to do." The floor beneath her began to shake, and the thumping began again, vibrating the air around her. She steadied herself against the large container in the centre of the room. She knew this is where the heart of the TARDIS was seated... the Doctor had told her once. She also knew that she had once looked into it from above, back when he'd left her back with her Mom and he'd been all ears and leather. She didn't remember much about the whole thing, except that at the end of it all, her incredible, leather clad alien changed into the adorable scruffy-haired man he was now. The Doctor had kept pretty quiet about the whole event, and she knew it was because he felt rather guilty about not warning her about the whole 'regeneration' business.

Anyhow, here she was, once again close to the heart of the TARDIS. The shaking had stopped again for the time being. "I know you're not saying much to the Doctor right now, but I wondered if you might like to chat... you know, girl to girl or something." Rose paused, searching her mind for any inkling of a reply on the TARDIS' part. Nothing yet. She plunged ahead. "Look, I know you're in trouble somehow. And I don't know if you can tell, but the Doctor is too. He's... not himself. I can feel that you're really worried about something, like something bad is going to happen. Is he somehow doing this to you? Or, are you maybe somehow making him... paranoid?" Rose paused again, concentrating on the room around her for any kind of response. Suddenly the floor shook, this time much harder. The pounding resumed, actually bouncing the floor beneath her and making her lose her footing. Falling to the floor, she waited until the shaking once again stopped. She had touched a nerve there. She could feel it. Steeling herself, she decided she had to let the TARDIS know how she felt. "I know you love him. But I love him too...and something's wrong. You must feel it, yeah? I just want to help. Both of you. But you have to help me understand what's going on."

"Rose," she heard from behind her. She got to her feet quickly and turned to find the Doctor, his eyes full of tears. Her initial fear of getting caught turned to regret on seeing how overcome he was at finding her. He'd clearly been beyond worried about her. She felt a rush of shame at having deceived him. And what had she achieved by doing this, anyway? But she'd had to try, right? She just wished her attempt to help had been more fruitful.

"Doctor, I..." she started, but was cut off abruptly when she was practically crushed by a Time Lord, seizing her in his arms. He held her tightly, and she hugged him back just as fiercely. Why was this happening to him? She would give anything to take away this crazy fear he had.

The Doctor pulled back from his gripping hug to snog her fiercely. His kiss was intense and punishing, and she gave it right back. She wouldn't give up on him, no matter how completely impossible he was being.

Finally breaking their kiss, the Doctor leaned his head on hers. "I was so worried, Rose," he said, drawing back to look in her eyes. "Why? What were you thinking? I thought I could trust you, but... I guess you just don't... can't understand. Don't you feel it, Rose? Even the TARDIS can tell something is very wrong!" Frustration blazed in his eyes now. "Something possibly catastrophic is going to happen, and you..." The Doctor growled in exasperation, pacing away from her. He ran his fingers through his hair in an effort to calm down.

"Doctor, something _is_ very wrong, but it's not the just with the TARDIS. There's something wrong with you, too," Rose said, trying to reason with him. "You're not yourself. I just needed to talk to the TARDIS. I thought maybe she'd let me help, that's all," she entreated, hoping something she'd said might sink in. "Doctor, the TARDIS has been acting strangely, but so have you! Ever since... well, ever since the night we were together... we bonded. There's something happening to both of you, and we need to find out what it is!"

"The only thing that's wrong with me is that, for some reason, you won't listen to me!" the Doctor fumed, his countenance heralding the Oncoming Storm. "And now it's become very clear that I've made the right decision. I need to save you from yourself, Rose. I was hoping I could let you decide when you'd like to have it done, but now I know we can't afford anymore time. It has to be done right away." Grabbing her up by the arm, he began dragging her toward the ramp. Rose's teeth clenched as he hauled her forward, his strong fingers gripping her too tightly. "Oi, you're hurting me!" she yelped, trying to pull away.

"I didn't want it to happen this way, Rose. This was supposed to be a special moment for us. But I don't have a choice now. I know you'll understand once it's done," the Doctor insisted through gritted teeth, his grip on her arm only tightening.

"Doctor, you're scaring me," Rose said, her voice betraying her fear.

"Well, maybe I should've scared you earlier and none of this would be happening like it is now," he barked.

They were now up in the control room. The Doctor still had her firmly in his grasp and was pulling her along after him as he moved dials and flipped various levers on the console. Something very bad was happening. If she didn't believe it before, she did now. But it wasn't because of some unknown force. It was because of him. Her Doctor. The only man she'd ever loved. Tears filled her eyes. "Doctor, I'm sorry... please... can we just talk? Let's have a cuppa and figure this out together. I swear... I only wanted to help," she pleaded.

Stopping in his tracks, the Doctor faced her square on, tightly holding both her arms, his eyes dark. "Rose, I'm sorry, but this can't wait any longer. You're... too fragile like you are now and I can't protect you! You're jeopardy friendly and I know you can't help that. So I have to do everything in my power to see that you don't go and get yourself killed." Forcibly dragging her over to a chair that she was sure hadn't been there when she'd come in, the Doctor sat her down and held her firmly while fastening her hands around the back of the chair with the same cuffs he'd used before. Rose watched as he stood back to survey his work. "Doctor, please... you don't have to do this!" Rose implored, her tears now freely falling.

"Oh, Rose," the Doctor sighed, pained that she was distressed. "Please don't cry. This is for you! For us!" he entreated, obviously wishing she would only listen to reason.

Turning toward the console once more he hit one final switch. From somewhere above, a silver contraption fell down beside the console and bobbed on a cord to hang at about her eye level.

Seeing the fear alight in her eyes, the Doctor knelt so his lips brushed her cheek. "Don't be scared, Rose. I promise... this will make it all so much better. I love you. So much. I can't ever lose you. I won't lose you," he said, kissing a freshly fallen tear from her face. He leaned back on his heels and closed his eyes. "I'm not going to lie to you, though, Rose. This is going to hurt. Probably more than anything you've ever felt." He opened his eyes then to level a serious look. "But I'll be right here. I won't leave you through any of it." Then he leaned forward, cupped her face and kissed her soundly before releasing her. "I know you don't understand right now, but you will. You mean everything to me. Otherwise I would never even think of putting you through this. And because of our bond I will feel the pain every bit as much as you will, Rose. We're going to go through this together."


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for the brilliant reviews and faves. I have the best readers ever!**

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_"I know you don't understand right now, but you will. You mean everything to me. Otherwise I would never even think of putting you through this. And because of our bond I will feel the pain every bit as much as you will, Rose. We're going to go through this together."_

* * *

The Doctor began to affix the metal contraption to Rose's head despite her protests. Never had she felt so completely powerless. Oh, she'd been imprisoned before, her arms and legs bound. She'd been gagged and drugged and even beaten. But none of that had ever been at the hands of someone she loved. In so many ways this was far worse.

"This is called a Chameleon Arch, Rose," the Doctor explained as he attached it securely to her head. "It's meant to rewrite a Time Lord's biology so that he physically becomes another species. It can be programmed to remove all memory of the Time Lord so that he can completely blend in in whatever situation he is in. But I've figured a way to reverse its use," the Doctor said, getting excited again. "I've been studying your DNA, Rose. I'm pretty sure regular human DNA wouldn't survive the Chameleon Arch. But yours... after you looked into the heart of the TARDIS you had changed, Rose. Not in ways you'd notice every day, but on a cellular level. Your exposure to the vortex created a small change in your DNA, making you essentially... primed for genetic manipulation!" The Doctor smiled triumphantly, as if this explained everything.

Confusion was written all over her face. Huffing impatiently, the Doctor continued, "Don't you see, Rose? This means we can change your DNA to TNA. You will become a Time Lord!"

Rose's mind reeled. A Time Lord? "But, Doctor, I... I'm human! What if it doesn't work?" she breathed, anxiety skyrocketing. He was hardly in his right mind right now. What if his calculations were wrong? Something was wrong in his head... what's to say he wasn't completely his usual brilliant self as well?

Running his hand through his mussed hair, once again trying to reduce his exasperation, he paced around the console. "Rose, I know this will work. How could you think that I would _ever_ endanger you? When will you get it through your head that I practically live only to keep you safe?! That's what _this_," he emphatically gestured toward the Chameleon Arch, "is all about!" He was ranting now, unable to keep his anxiety and frustration pent up any longer. "You'll heal quickly, you'll be stronger, your immune system will be twice as effective. And I won't have to spend every waking moment worried that you'll die on me!"

That was it. The Doctor's anxiety dropped even as he'd said it. Dropping to his knees in front of her, his voice softened. "This will mean that you'll live as long as I will... longer, in fact." He looked up into her beautiful face, willing her to understand.

Searching his eyes, she now knew that this is what it had all been about. He hadn't just been worried that she'd get hurt or even that she'd die before her short life span might have dictated. It was that she would die at all. That she would leave him someday. Her heart clenched as she searched his ancient deep brown eyes. He'd seen nothing but loss in his long life. One human after another, leaving him. Dieing.

"Rose... you told me forever. And I need it. I need you. Forever. _My_ forever." The Doctor lowered his head, overcome.

"My Doctor," Rose breathed. "Doctor... I," her voice caught with emotion. Oh, how she loved this man. This seemingly unknowable alien who she was blessed to be one with. And she wanted to give him forever. She would give him the universe if she could. But she had to know that this was really him talking. That he wasn't being influenced by some unknown entity. Only then would she willingly consider this.

"Doctor, I _want_ to give you forever," she said softly. He looked up at her, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Why wouldn't I? I told you that I was yours forever. I meant it. But Doctor, I want to wait to do this. Please. I'm not saying I won't do it. I'm asking for a few days. What are a few days, yeah? I need to make sure you're okay. I need the TARDIS to be okay. And I want to be okay with it. I want to understand exactly what this will mean. Please, Doctor," she entreated, her eyes begging him.

"Rose," he said, pained, "this can't wait. You're in danger every moment you remain human. How can I let that continue?"

Did she hear a hint of doubt in his voice? Deciding to press him, she pushed a bit more. "But Doctor, what about the TARDIS? That shaking is getting worse each time and it's happening more often. Could we at least wait until she's 100% before we do this?"

The Doctor stared at her. As much as he hated to admit it, maybe Rose had a point. The TARDIS was incredibly unpredictable right now. What's to say she wouldn't power down halfway through the process? Bloody hell. He knew she was right.

Watching him carefully for his reaction, Rose found herself biting her bottom lip too hard. "Doctor?" she said tentatively.

After a few more moments of contemplation, he shook his head in amazement, "You're right, Rose. You're completely right." The Doctor sat back on his heels and ran his hands over his face. "She's not stable enough. What was I thinking?"

Rose let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Just then, as if on cue, the TARDIS began to shake. The intensity of the shaking was beyond what had happened previously. Then the thumping began again. It had been strong before, but now the vibration it caused rocked the grating causing the chair Rose sat on to bounce and nearly topple over. Grabbing the chair legs to steady her, the Doctor held on until the shaking finally stopped.

"I guess we'd better get you out of there, eh?" the Doctor said, smiling up at Rose, moving to release her. She smiled back in thanks and also silently thanked every deity she could think of. She'd managed to talk some reason into him.

Undoing the cuffs, the Doctor helped her to her feet, only to find the floor once again undulating beneath them. Both of them lost their footing as the resonant thrumming reasserted itself, this time exponentially stronger than before. The vibrating pulse reminded Rose of a documentary she'd seen on telly once about drilling for oil. Was the TARDIS digging for something? She didn't have time to ponder the thought further, though, before sparks flew from the console and coral chunks rained down on them from above.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled above the din, crawling toward the ramp leading down to the room beneath the console, "it's down here! I know it!"

"ROSE!" he shouted back in an effort to stop her. She pressed resolutely on, however, and he had little choice but to chase after her.

Reaching the ramp, Rose scooted down on her bottom, the ground beneath her still bucking. The Doctor reached her before she got to the centre of the room. "Rose! What are you doing?!" He now had to scream over the noise.

"It's here, Doctor," Rose yelled back. "There's something wrong in here. Can't you smell it?"

The Doctor looked at her confused. He stopped and took a purposeful deep breath. Looking back at her, he shook his head. "I can't smell anything," he shouted.

How could he not smell it? It was even stronger now than it was last time she was in here.

"Rose, we have to leave!" the Doctor insisted, taking her hand. But before he had a chance to move her any closer toward the ramp, the cylindrical floor to ceiling container housing the TARDIS' heart began glowing. Golden tendrils began crawling along the outside of the casing, wrapping it in a glittering yellow hue. A high pitched hum now added to the cacophony of sound filling the room.

"ROSE! DOWN!" the Doctor screamed at her, draping himself over her as quickly as he could. The casing was now bulging and warping, vibrating with pent up energy. Beneath them the thumping grew so that both Rose and the Doctor were thrown up and away from the floor with every vibration. Then, as suddenly as it started, the shaking and thumping stopped. Rose moved to sit up, but she remained firmly ensconced in Time Lord armour.

A split second later, light exploded from newly formed cracks in the casing surrounding the heart of the ship and the room filled with motes of golden vortex particles. A resounding 'boom' followed close after, accompanied by a high pitched squeal and a pulse wave hard enough to throw both the Doctor and Rose against the coral wall. Simultaneously, the Doctor and Rose clutched their heads in pain, not from landing against the hard ground, but from the TARDIS' wailing in their minds. The screetch resonating through their brains pounded them relentlessly for what seemed like ages. Then, finally, it all stopped. The vibrating, the thumping, and the pain. The high pitched hum wound down slowly to a barely audible buzz.

Both the Doctor and Rose lay on the ground for a few minutes, panting. The core of the TARDIS now sat quietly, slowly leaking golden vortex particles into the air. The motes floated freely around them, seemingly attracted to their energies. Looking down, Rose noticed a good number of them had settled on her and their lights were slowly fading. They were beautiful. A feeling of... serenity settled over her. Then, realizing she wasn't just experiencing her own sheer relief at their survival, she made an effort to explore the feeling that was surely coming from the TARDIS. It was palpable.

"Doctor... do you feel that?" Rose breathed, the pain from minutes ago all but forgotten as a she revelled in the blanket of contentment and happiness that was washing over her. Turning her head to look at the Doctor, she found him smiling at her like a loon.

"What is it?" she asked, finding herself grinning back at him.

"Rose, it's... brilliant! She's talking to me! Ha!" he barked, triumphantly.

"What's she saying?!" Rose asked, impatient to find out what he was on about.

The Doctor sat up and stopped for a moment, seemingly concentrating on what the TARDIS was telling him. "Rassilon, Rose..." he said in awe, "I understand now!"

"Understand what?" Rose asked, wishing he'd just get to the point.

"It all makes sense!" he said, clambering to his feet. "All of it! The planet, the dirt, the smell, the... us... all of it!"

"Doctor, please tell me what you're talking about!" Rose insisted, getting up and grabbing his lapels in an effort to get him to talk to her.

"Oh, my brilliant girl, I'll do better than that!" the Doctor said, pulling her by the hand toward the ramp. "Allons-y!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to all who have reviewed so far! I've loved hearing your ideas and thoughts on what might happen! This is the final chapter. It's a bit racey... you've been warned. **

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_"It all makes sense!" he said, clambering to his feet. "All of it! The planet, the dirt, the smell, the... us... all of it!"_

_"Doctor, please tell me what you're talking about!" Rose insisted, getting up and grabbing his lapels in an effort to get him to talk to her. _

_"Oh, my brilliant girl, I'll do better than that!" the Doctor said, pulling her by the hand toward the ramp. "Allons-y!"_

* * *

Running behind the Doctor up the ramp, Rose had nothing but questions. Excitement flowed through the bond she and the Doctor shared as he held her hand tightly. Whatever it was, it sure felt like something positive.

Finally reaching the console, the Doctor flipped some switches and pulled a monitor over for them to examine. The image was almost completely black. A dark grey outline was barely perceptible.

Looking at the Doctor for an explanation, she found him beaming brilliantly at her. "What are we looking at?" Rose asked, peering intently at the screen.

"Oh. Right. Ummm, hang on," the Doctor said, realizing she couldn't make anything out with her mere 20/20 vision and lack of d-spectrum perception.

The screen refocused and a thermal image filled the monitor. In the centre of the mostly blue layered image an oval shaped object, rimmed with red on the screen flickered orange and yellow in its centre.

Obviously feeling that all had now been explained, the Doctor once again triumphantly grinned at Rose, awaiting her excitement. When her expected reaction didn't come, he launched into further explanation.

"It's a life form, Rose! Isn't it brilliant? And it's directly beneath the TARDIS!" he smiled gloriously, inviting her to reexamine the screen. She did, and this time she understood more what she was looking at. The red, orange and yellow blob must be alive.

"What is it?" she breathed, staring at it in wonder.

"That, Rose, is a 'planula'. You're not going to believe this, but you're an aunt. Aunt Rose. I like it! I guess that makes me 'Uncle Doctor'! No. That doesn't work, does it. Just 'Uncle', I think," the Doctor began.

Cutting off the 'Oncoming Ramble', Rose quickly interjected. "Doctor... more information, please?" she practically begged, dying to know what this was all about.

"Oh. Right. Well... this," he pointed to the screen, "is essentially an embryo, Rose. The TARDIS has given birth!"

"What?!" Rose spluttered. "But... how?"

"Well, basically... remember those lovely little creatures circling the TARDIS a few days ago? Those, my precious girl, were TARDIS sperm. Ha!" he laughed loudly. "Who'd've guessed it, eh? It must've been floating around in there since the before the Time War. The night we bonded... those little creatures were swimming around this magnificent ship, encouraging her to let one in. Well... she finally did! It found the centre of the console where she stores her eggs, fertilized one, and after a few days gestation, she was ready to give birth! Of course, she had to find a planet similar to Gallifrey in composition so the seedling would get the appropriate nutrients. Once she found one, she literally planted her seed in the dirt to grow. And just like any mother, she felt a fierce need to protect what was hers. The planula! And through all of it, hormones were everywhere, Rose! It was a pheramone fest! That's what that smell is you were talking about. TARDIS pheramones."

"But how come you couldn't smell it?" Rose asked, perplexed.

"I couldn't smell it because they were affecting me too. A Time Lord and his TARDIS are symbiotic, Rose. Before Rassilon, TARDIS' used to procreate this way in nature. But TARDIS' had been forcibly grown in nurseries ever since Rassilon ruled, so they haven't needed to procreate naturally in centuries. That's why it didn't even occur to me that this was all about reproduction," the Doctor shook his head at his oversight. "Anyhow, the key is that every TARDIS needs a Time Lord to basically 'complete' them. So the 'Mommy' TARDIS encourages its Time Lord to procreate, thereby creating a new Time Lord to bond with the baby TARDIS. Then the hormones must encourage a 'nesting' type of response in both the TARDIS and the Time Lord... a need to protect and nurture. The TARDIS' hormones have been altered for weeks because she was ready to reproduce, but when she flew through the broadcast spawn some rogue male TARDIS left floating in the vortex, her hormone production went into overdrive. Hence my... overdrive! It all makes sense now!" he smiled at Rose, his eyes twinkling.

Rose's heart, however, had stopped. _That_ was the reason he came to her that night? It was exactly like she'd feared. He hadn't chosen this at all. It was the TARDIS' hormonal influence that made him come to her. A lump rose in her throat. She'd just been a convenient... receptacle.

Recognizing a change in her, the Doctor's brow furrowed in concern. "Rose, what's wrong?"

Rose slowly backed away from him. "You didn't... want... you couldn't help it. Our night together. You..." Rose's throat closed, her heart overwhelmed and broken. "I'm sorry," she said, backing away from him, before turning to flee through the corridor behind her.

"Rose! Wait!" the Doctor hollered after her, following her quickly down the halls of the TARDIS.

She reached her bedroom door and quickly entered, closing it firmly behind her.

Just reaching the door as it shut, the Doctor shouted through it. "Rose! Please... let me in. Please... you don't understand!" Silence was his reply. "Rose," he insisted, praying she'd at least hear him out.

"Doctor," her voice drifted back through the closed door, "I, just... I need to be alone."

The Doctor stood by the door for a few moments. Should he go in anyway? He needed to talk to her. As he stood there deciding what to do, he felt a wave of grief wash through their bond. And this was just a fraction of the strength of her feelings right now. He wouldn't have it.

Opening her door, he stepped in to face her. She was sitting on her bed, her knees pulled up to her chest, her face wet with tears.

"Doctor, please..." she said, turning away from him.

"No, Rose. You need to listen to me," he said, moving over to sit on the bed beside her. Her face was buried in her knees so she could avoid his gaze. "Please..." he said softly, pulling her head to his chest to hold her. She remained stiff for a few moments, but quickly melted to him, her body giving into his comforting embrace.

"Rose, I came to you that night because I love you. Not because you were the only female around." The Doctor paused, hoping his words were sinking in. He was pleased to find Rose had lifted her head to look at him. "You need to understand that the TARDIS' hormones merely steered me in the direction I was already headed. The difference is that she made me get over all the ridiculous excuses I'd cooked up over why we shouldn't be together. They were all bullocks, Rose. I was terrified. Scared of losing someone else important to me. But somehow, in my dreams, the TARDIS encouraged me to realize that I'd really already fallen completely for you and that I was going to lose you anyhow someday. I was already going to experience the pain. DIdn't I deserve to experience the love then, as well? And Rassilon knows why, but you didn't turn me away. I'm an ancient broken man roaming the galaxy, and you're a brilliant, young, vibrant human woman. What could you possibly see in me? But you took me anyway. And if it weren't for the pheramones, I honestly don't know if I'd've had the courage to approach you."

Rose looked up at him, wiping away her tears. "You mean, it was really you? You're not... sorry, for bonding with me? For marrying me?"

"Oh, my Rose. No matter what finally brought me to my senses, all I've wanted for a very long time is you. What I am _very_ sorry about, however, is how completely impulsive I was in my claiming of you. I realize now that my head has cleared and isn't swimming with hormones, that you really didn't have much say in the matter at the time. What _I_ pray for is that you can forgive me. For not proposing properly."

Rose's tears quickly turned to those of joy, and she threw her arms around the Doctor's neck in a life affirming hug. "Oh, Doctor - I was so afraid that you might not want to be with me once you were back to yourself."

"Rassilon, Rose, I'm amazed you'll even talk to me, given what an ape I've been these last few days. If I didn't know what had possessed me, I'd ask what had possessed me! I handcuffed you, for goodness sake! And..." he stopped, realizing what he'd been ready to do without her consent. "Rose, I... I was going to..." his throat closed in regret, not letting him finish his thought.

"Doctor," Rose said, cupping his face and staring intently into his deep, sad eyes, "it wasn't you. Not completely. I know that. You would never have made such a decision for me if you had been in your right mind. You were trying to protect me, yeah? Your intentions were good, even if I wanted to kick you for manhandling me. But that wasn't your fault. I understand that," she said earnestly, willing him to believe her.

Relief showered her mind through their link and he hugged her tightly to him again. "You really _are_ incredible, you know that, Rose Tyler? In my mind... it made total sense. I needed you with me. Forever. And you do have to admit, you tend to get into the odd bit of trouble," he smiled at her. "I'd like to blame the hormones completely, but I dare say I've got a bit of a protective streak around you, even before all this," he lamented.

"Well, that was just a bit more than plain old 'protective'. And where did you get those cuffs from, anyway?" Rose asked, truly interested.

"Oh, well, you never know when they'll come in handy. We do get captured a lot. And, well, I think secretly I'd rather hoped someday they might find good use in other activities..." the Doctor smirked, giving her his sexiest raised eyebrow.

His dark eyes sent shivers straight down her spine. Biting her lip as desire slowly pooled in her belly, she coyly leaned into him again so her lips brushed against his neck. "I can think of a few excellent uses for those," Rose confirmed, her breath hot against his skin.

It was like the words themselves had a direct line to his groin. "Rose Tyler, you're quite an adventurous little minx, aren't you?" he smiled. "If I didn't know better, I might have thought you'd considered something like this before," he mused.

Rose merely smiled that cheeky, tongue between her teeth smile. "Maybe I have, Doctor. You can't think that you've been the only one secretly hoping for more. It's been a long time coming for me. And I've had time to think of some spectacular scenarios," Rose confirmed, kissing his neck softly.

Her attentions did nothing for his concentration or his ability to form cohesive sentences.

"Ohhhh..." he breathed, as she trailed a finger up his chest.

"And I think it's high time we explore this... bond of ours a bit more intimately, don't you?" Rose suggested, her tongue once again poking out as she then gently pushed his jacket from his shoulders.

Shaking the jacket completely off, not taking his eyes from her sweet tongue, he once again marvelled at his luck. She was so incredible. And she was _his_. She slowly undid his shirt buttons as she gazed up into his eyes, her desire for him clearly shining through their bond. But it was the scent of her arousal starting to fill the air around him that was his complete undoing.

A deep growl grew in his throat as he quickly rose above her to push her back on the bed. "Rose, I'm going to claim you. And I don't plan on being gentle. Tell me now if you have a problem with that, because in a moment I won't be held responsible for what happens otherwise," he directed, his tone insistent.

Her response to his words was instant and surprisingly strong. Desire flowed through her every pore and she wanted nothing but to be taken by this man. In every way. "Take me, Doctor. Please.." she mewled.

His mouth claimed hers instantly, his lips strong and punishing. Rose responded with a deep moan and met his need with her own. The Doctor's hands pushed her shirt up with no effort at sparing the fabric and before she'd even taken a full breath she was lying beneath him divested of her top. His hands found her lacey bra and made short work of it, baring her completely to him. His breath caught at the sight of her. Rassilon. She was perfect. Unable to resist the temptation of her breasts any longer, he moved quickly to suckle one while exploring the other as if it was a holy relic of some sort.

Rose groaned and arched her back off the bed reflexively, as if she might be able to fill his mouth more completely if she pushed against it. He somehow managed to comply, sending a thrill of electricity straight to her centre. As if sensing this, he slowly slid his tongue down to the top of her curls. Then, in one of the most erotic gestures she'd ever experienced, he buried his nose in her centre and breathed her in, letting her scent wash over him. The act almost had her completely overwhelmed, but then she realized what truly being overwhelmed meant when the Doctor's tongue began to taste her. Gently coaxing her legs further apart and then tucking his hands under her bottom to raise her slightly for easier access, he lapped at her centre, moaning appreciatively. He pulled away for an almost painful moment to admire the centre of his attentions. "Rassilon, Rose. You taste... it's exquisite." Rose whimpered at his admission and cried out when he resumed his ministrations. She found the pull in her belly building as he began plunging his talented tongue inside her. But it was his brilliant fingers that added another dimension to her arousal, gently rubbing the small erect bundle above her opening. Within moments she was screaming his name, pulsing with abandon around his long, awaiting tongue. He stayed in this position until she shuddered her completion, and then pulled his tongue from inside her to actively lap up the nectar of her arousal.

Realizing she was about to come apart again, the Doctor pushed his tongue up to tend directly to her clitoris. The effect was everything he'd hoped it would be. Rose's hands clenched painfully in his hair and her hips shot off the bed, making him move to keep her firmly in his mouth. He continued his punishing attentions and didn't relent until she pulled him up and away from her.

"Doctor... I need you. Please," she begged, trying to move him up to join her.

He pulled his way up her body, sliding himself against her as he did. Finally face to face, he slid his lips against hers and forced his tongue into her mouth, willing her to taste herself on him. A moan escaped her lips, realizing his intentions. This man was a wealth or erotic surprises. She felt a fresh pool of desire between her legs, and the Doctor must've sensed it too, because at that moment he groaned and once again growled his desire for her.

Grasping her hips to still them, he positioned himself at her entrance. She was so ready for him, he couldn't have held back any longer from entering her if he tried. One solid push filled her completely, leaving her to pull in a deep breath through gritted teeth. His hard girth completely enveloped by her, he found he'd actually _forgotten_ to breathe. Drawing in a breath purposefully, he pulled back from another insistent kiss to look at his bond mate. She was glowing with energy and want, a faint sheen of sweat beaded on her brow. He'd never seen anything so gorgeous in all his lives.

"Rose... can I?" he asked, reaching to move his fingers to her temples. He'd taken what he wanted the first time, without her express consent. He needed to make sure she knew he was sorry for that. Rose nodded her head, "I want you, Doctor. _All_ of you. Please," she said, entreating him to continue.

His fingers hadn't even reached her temples yet and he felt their bond fully blossom. Of course.. they were already physically joined. The touch to her temples was merely a formality. _'Oh God!'_ Rose said through their bond, the words echoing in his mind. What?! Had she just _spoken_ to him? _'Please... move... don't stop,'_ Rose's mind insisted in his, her desire crashing over him like a wave in his mind. Her arousal completely clouded any intelligent thought he might have been having and he felt his body merely respond to her need. Within moments he found himself climbing to completion as their mental joining echoed every movement they made. Unable to hold back any longer, he climaxed loudy, her name escaping his lips over and and over. To Rose's surprise, she felt the full force of his spiraling pleasure and it sent her crashing headlong through another incredible orgasm.

It was minutes of breathless panting before either could find the wherewithal to speak.

"Wow," Rose said, her voice finally finding some strength.

"Too right," he agreed.

Gathering a small bit of energy, she rolled over to him to pillow her head on his chest. "That was... brilliant. How come it was so... strong this time?" she asked, wondering at the strength of their bond.

"I suspect it has to do with the vortex energy particles we were breathing in earlier," the Doctor mused. "They certainly seemed to like you. But then, who can resist you, my little pink and yellow human," he grinned.

Rose smiled at his affectionate tone. "So, they somehow made me able to hear you more easily? In my mind?"

"Yup," he said, popping his 'p' the way she loved. "And I think they may have strengthened your telepathic abilities quite a bit. Like I said before, it can even take Time Lords a while to be able to hear actual words through their bond. And you managed it on our second try!" he smiled, planting a kiss in her hair.

They lay together for a while in contented silence before Rose had the courage to bring up the topic. But it was the elephant in the room, after all. No point avoiding it.

"Doctor, do you really think your... Channelling Arch would work on me? To make me a Time Lord?"

The Doctor grinned despite the topic. "It's called a 'Chameleon Arch'. And yes, I do think it would work, Rose. In fact, despite my apparent madness earlier, I think the idea was rather brilliant," the Doctor said, clearly distracted by the memory of his plans.

Silence reigned over them again for another minute or two, the Doctor softly drawing circles on her arm and occasionally kissing her head.

"I want to do it," Rose said decisively.

The Doctor pulled back to look down into her face. She was serious. Reaching into her mind he found she was without doubt. "Rose, you should really think about this. I know I was pretty insistent before..." he stopped at her withering look. "Okay, I was a fair bit more than insistent. But there's so much to consider here. You wouldn't be human anymore. You'd just be at the start of an extremely long life. And you'd likely outlive even me. I'm getting to the end of my regenerations. You'd have many left ahead of you. And regenerating is no piece of cake, Rose, let me tell you..." Just then he found himself being silenced by a fierce snog.

Finally pulling away, Rose said, "I know this isn't a decision to be made lightly, Doctor. But I want to be with you. For _your_ forever. And if _my_ forever gets to be longer, I'm okay with that. We're married... bonded. And I want to be with my husband for as long as I'm allowed. I love you."

Her sentiment was so heartfelt, it almost took the Doctor's breath away. She wanted to be with him and was ready to give up her humanity to do so. He was beyond honoured.

"So let's do this, yeah?" Rose said, sitting up in bed, reaching for her discarded top.

"Whoa! What's the rush?" the Doctor said, reaching for her. "I might need to ravish my brilliant human wife a few more times before she becomes Time Lord. After all - it might be nice for you to have something to compare it to, right? Besides, I should probably go over a few of the changes you should expect once you become an alien," he smiled.

Realizing he was probably right, about the changes, that is, she reluctantly lay back down beside him. His hands quickly began roaming and his lips and teeth found her neck. It wasn't long before he had her screaming his name once again, their bond a glowing affirmation of their soon to be extended 'forever'.


End file.
